Sifter



(No Model.)

G. H. FOUNTAIN.

SIFTBR.

No. 439,937. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

mul

ATTORNEY me dame venas co., mumunvm wnmaron, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. FOUNTAIN, OF PLAINFIELD, NEV JERSEY.

SIFTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,937, dated November 4, 1890.

Application filed May 11, 1889l Serial No. 310,376. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. FOUNTAIN, of Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New J ersey,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sifters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in sitters, especially that class of sifters adapted for sifting ashes, and has for its object to so improve the construction of the drum illustrated in the Letters Patent granted to myself March 19, 1889, No. 399,862, that a larger inlet-opening will be obtained.

The invention consists inthe novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figiire 1 is a perspective View of the drum, illustrating the doors in position to receive or to permit the introduction of the ashes. Fig. 2 is a transverse section illustrating the position of the doors when the drum is revolved to sift the ashes; and Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the position of the doors just prior to dumping the ashes, the movement of the drum in dumping the ashes being the reverse of that employed when sifting the same.

rThe drum 10 may be of any desired contour, but preferably rectangular, and consists of two spaced heads 11, each provided with a suitable aperture 12 at or near its center to receive the spindle, whereby the drum is rotated. The heads are connected by longitudinal beams or bars 13, one being preferably attached to each corner of the heads, and over the said beams or bars a covering of reticulated or perforated material 14. is stretched, preferably a strip of wire-netting. The netting covers three sides of the drum, and is secured in any approved manner to the edges of the heads and the ends of the beams or bars 13. The fourth face of the drum is covered for a short distance only on one side by the netting, as shown atA in Fig. 1, and the said open face at each end is covered by a metal plate 15, constituting a guard or shield.

In the heads immediately below the center of the guard plates or shields a rod 16 is journaled, having attached thereto a door 17 of sufficient Width and length when carried downward to contact with the under face of the shields and the under surface of the section of the netting A.

Next to the uncovered side beam 13 a rod 18 is j ournaled in the heads in similar manner to the rod 16, and upon the said rod 18 a door 19 is secured of sufficient length and width to contact with the under face of the guard plates or shields when carried outward to cover the space not covered by the door 17 when in a like position,as illustrated in Fig. 2. The drop of the door 17 is limited by a bar 20, secured in the heads of the drum, and two or more similar bars 2l may be project-ed longitudinally through the drum, if desired. The bar 2O acts not only as a check to the door 17, but also, together with the bars 2l, serve as thrashers, as the cinders by contacting with the bars are more or less rendered thereby free from dust. The guard plates or shields also have a dual function, serving to strengthen the frame, acting as a support to the doors when inthe closed position, and they prevent the material contained in the sifter from clogging the doors.

It will be observed that a large opening is Vprovidedin one face of the drum, which is conveniently closed at the proper time by two doors, the door 19 being properly a dumpdoor, while the door 17 is purely a feed-door, the said door 19 also acting in the capacity of a feed-door when desired.

In operation, when the drum is revolved in the direction of the arron7 shown in connection with Fig. 2, after having been filled, as the side containing the doors is brought to a vertical position, the said doors automatically close and remain closed until the drum has been revolved sufficiently to essentially bring the side containing the doors uppermost. The drum may be revolved as many times as desired to insure the proper cleansing of the cinders or sifting of the material, and when it is desired to dump the contents of the drum the movement of the drum is reversed,being carried in the direction indicated bythe arrow in Fig. 3. This reverse movement is usually made -when the doors are uppermost.

IOO

Thus, as the side containing the doors is oarried downward, the dump-door 19 falls flat against the under side, and the other door 17 is supported by the rod 20. When the side containing the doors of the drum is brought face downward, the door 17 may be closed; but the dump-door will remain open, permitting the cinders to freely escape through the opening in that side of the said drum.

I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to any particular material in the construction of the drum or sifter, and that, as heretofore stated, the form of the drum maybe varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, I

' claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a rotary drum having an opening in one side, of two swinging doors for automatically closing said opening,one of the said doors being hinged at about the center of the opening and the other at one edge of the said opening,substantially as described.

2. The combination, wit-h a rotary drum having an opening in one side, of two inwardly-swinging` doors for automatically closing the said opening', one of the doors being hinged at about the center of the opening and the other at the edge of the said opening, and a check within the drum for limiting the inward movement of the door hinged at about the center of t-he opening, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination, with a rotary drum,of two doors held to swing therein, a check-rod limiting the inward throw of one door, and shields limiting the outward throw of both doors, substantially as shown and described.

` 4. The combination, with a rotary drum provided with two swinging doors, of a checkrod limiting the inward movement of one door, and thrasher-rods attached within the drum, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with a rotary drum provided with two swinging doors, of a checkrod limiting the inward movement of one door, shields limiting the outward movement of both doors, and thrasher-rods held within the drum, substantially as shown and described.

6; The combination, with a drum adapted to be rotated and two doors pivoted within the said drum, of a check-rod longitudinally secured in the drum capable of limiting the movement of one door, and a shield extending from the ends of the drum inward over the door-opening,substantially as shown and described, whereby a large opening is provided for the introduction of the material into the drum, and the said opening is contracted when the material is to be dumped, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination, with a drum adapted to be rotated, two doors pivoted in one face of the drum opening inward,and a longitudinal check-rod limiting the inward movement of one of said doors, of a shield extending from the ends of the drum over the door' opening, and thrasher-rods longitudinally secured in said drum, all combined for operation substantially as shown and described.

GEORGE H. FOUNTAIN.

Witnesses: l.

J. F. ACKER, Jr., E. M. CLARK. 

